Beyond Orion
by Misery Lotus
Summary: They used to drink blood from each other like lovers they were not. After an accidental encounter, Shiki thought Rima's blood suddenly got an upgrade in taste. And lying on the same bed feels awkward.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight**

"Rima, when we grow up, let's get married." Senri said.

"R-really? But Senri, I-I'm not pretty." Rima fidgeted.

Senri took Rima's hands in his. "You are the prettiest, Rima! Even prettier than my mom!" he exclaimed, determination shining through his blue eyes.

"Senri…thank you!" Rima threw her arms around Senri's neck, a happy smile on her face.

Senri smiled, hugging her back.

Shiki laid on Rima's bed, staring at the ceiling and idly twirling Rima's hair.

"Hey Rima, I'm hungry."

"Already?" Rima didn't move,, lying on her side and reading a manga, facing the door.

"Yeah."

Rima put down the manga she was reading and rolled onto her back. She moved her hair, revealing her neck. "Here." She said in a monotone, looking up boredly.

Shiki got on top of her and put on leg on either side of hers. "Itadakimasu." His hands on either side of her head, he leaned in slowly.

"Hey Rima," Ruka opened the door and walked in. "Have you seen my-"

Shiki and Rima turned to the intruder, staring with a clear lack of interest. Ruka's mouth formed the shape of her next word, but she didn't say it, gaping at the situation in front of her.

"Eh…sorry for interrupting," she laughed nervously, "I'll…be going now." Ruka slowly shut the door, before peeking in again, but realised the two were still stasring at her, and shut the door completely.

Shiki and Rima faced eachother again. Shiki leaned in.

"Hey Shiki! What are you doing to Ri-"

Ichijou suddenly bursted in, abruptly freezing too.

Shiki was going for Rima's neck when Ichijou appeared. Rima had turned her head to the direction of the noise, but Shiki did not. His lips were close to her neck and when she turned, Shiki's lips collided with hers.

They stared at each other, shock evident in their wide eyes.

But no one was more shocked than Ichijou, whose body turned into ice. He stuttered an apology before closing the door and nearly tripping, followed by a few crashes outside and a cry of 'Takuma-sama!'

Shiki and Rima did not feel any of those. Their lips were still connected, unmoving and still.

Shiki pulled away and sat up, turning away from Rima. "Sorry." He muttered.

Rima also sat up, letting her legs off the bed and looking at a corner of the room. "Don't worry." She said quietly, her voice barely audible.

Shiki turned around hesitantly, looking at Rima's back.

"Hey…can I drink your blood?" he asked.

Rima wordlessly pushed her hair off her neck. Shiki moved closer, his hand by her side and his body behind her. His fangs met her flesh.

Better keep it safe for now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight**

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><p>Shiki bit into Rima's neck, sucking in the blood calmly, something that not many vampires could do. They often drank in haste, desperate for the lovely liquid to settle their thirst, so much better than blood tablets do. To fulfill their longing, for the sole reason of existing as a vampire, a creature of sin.<p>

Shiki and Rima had nothing to long for, yet they do so all the same. A vampire's thirst could only be satisfied by the blood of their loved one, but Shiki and Rima did not love anyone in that way. They still thirst; a thirst that could only be soothed not satisfied. But it was not as intense, not as vicious; almost endurable.

Shiki felt reasonably at peace as he drank Rima's blood. It was the same as always, her blood, comforting and calming. He could taste her emotions; taste her thoughts, on the plot of the manga she was reading. It made him feel safe.

Then suddenly there was a change.

Rima's blood suddenly became tastier. Shiki drank faster, losing his calm as more and more of Rima's blood flowed into his mouth. There was a pleasant coolness in his throat, as if a cold hand on a fevered injury. It was relaxing, yet vexing, yet exciting. His breathing seemed to become easier as the air he inhaled smelt so sweet. Rima gasped softly and Shiki felt her emotions, felt her mind. The kiss just then flew to the front and Rima gasped again. Shiki felt Rima's thoughts leak into him. He felt surprised, vacuity, warm, scared, discord, and he coiuldnt tell if those emotions were his or Rima's, or combined, or someone else's, or his mother's, or his father's, or Ichijou's, or his manager's, or his, or Rima's.

_'Shiki…blood…why…too…'_

Shiki's eyes opened; he wasn't sure when he had closed them. They were red with fevered bloodlust, hot and fiery. He realized Rima shivering and pulled away quickly..

"S-sorry." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes turning back to their normal blue colour.

Rima was silent. She did not move and her bangs covered her eyes. Shiki could see that there was no smile on her face, her mouth closed, shut.

And then she lunged.

She latched herself onto Shiki's neck, her fangs sinking into him in one clumsy yet fast movement. She viciously drank his blood, so beast-like, so unlike her usual self.

"A-ah…" a small sound escaped Shiki's mouth. His brows slightly creased, his eyes slightly lidded. Rima drank faster and Shiki's eyes closed. This was so different from the usual. Rima was always gentle and soft, licking his neck before biting him crisply. She would drink slowly and calmly, and lick the wound after she finishes. Like a cat, sipping milk from a dish. Her tongue, wet and clever, cleaning the bite marks. Soft and light and small, just like her-

Rima suddenly pulled away, turning her back to Shiki again. Shiki sat, eyes slightly wide and neck still bleeding. He regained his composure and healed the wound and his breathing and heart-rate returned to normal.

"What were you thinking?"

Shiki turned to Rima, her back still facing him.

"You were thinking about my…my…" She turned around, a rare frown on her face. Her cheeks were dusted pink, lips pouted and pointing downwards, like an angry doll.

"Sorry." Shiki murmured.

Rima turned to stare at the ground.

Shiki carefully got off the bed. He looked at Rima, who was still looking down.

"Good night, Rima." He said, walking to the door, opening it, stepping out, closing it and walking off.

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><p>Ichijou stalked to the door when he heard Shiki's footsteps, ready to interrogate him as soon as he opens the door.<p>

Shiki's footsteps became closer, closer, closer…

The door opened.

"Shiki!" Ichijou yelled, immediately tacklingl him to the ground. "What were you doing with Rima?"

When he heard no answer he looked. There was a strange expression on Shiki's face. It had no overflowing confidence in it, belonging to someone that has just lost a game. It didn't suit Shiki. Ichijou was momentarily stilled.

"It's your fault." He muttered, looking away.

"Eh?" Ichijou pointed at himself. "My fault? What did I do?"

Shiki didn't answer.

"Shiki?"

Shiki pushed Ichijou off himself. "I'm tired, I'm going to sleep." He walked over to his bed, taking off his uniform and dropping them messily on a chair, climbing onto the bed and facing the other way so that Ichijou could only see his back. Ichijou watched him for a while, wondering why he was acting like this. Then he sighed and gave up, deciding to sleep himself.

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><p>Rima could not sleep. Her mind was messed up; she herself didn't know what she was thinking. Shiki had drunk so much blood that she was still dizzy. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, yet it wasn't pleasant either. Why was she in turmoil? Why wasn't she calm and collected? Why did she roughly take Shiki's blood after he had just taken hers? Why was Shiki thinking about weird things? Why did she remember that kiss?<p>

An accident, only a touch of lips. Soft, pink, about to be coated with blood.

Rima wasn't clueless. She knew that kind of thing was special. But not that special, it was only special because she did it with her friend, with Shiki. Maybe that was the reason, because it was with Shiki. That's all. And all the abnormal actions would be forgiven, Shiki would be the same as always, bored and uncaring, and she would be the same cool, independent person tomorrow, always making sure that Shiki is okay, always taking care of him.

Everything would be alright tomorrow.

That night, Rima slept peacefully.

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><p>Shiki walked through a narrow corridor. He reached the end. There were two doors, one on the left and one on the top. Shiki opened the door on the left and stepped in. books were neatly organized on shelves, full of books stacked next to each other and filling the room. It was a library, Shiki realized.<p>

There were three signs, on e above each space that the shelves made. The first sign said Ichijou, the second Rima, and the third Mother. He walked through the second one.

At the end, Rima was sitting at a table, reading a book. She was wearing a blue dress; dark, sleeveless, with a cut at one of the legs. The neck was high with a frilled collar, making it look like a piece of clothing from old China but wasn't. Shiki recognized it as one of the dresses she used for modeling.

Rima seemed to notice him and put down her book. She motioned for him to come over. He obeyed. She stood up and put a hand on his shoulder; he noticed his clothing had changed too, into a white long-sleeved dress shirt, the collar open, a few buttons undone and formal black pants. Rima leaned in and whispered in his ear.

_"Are you thirsty?"_

Shiki woke up, blinking slowly at the ceiling. He looked at the clock; it was halfway through noon. The room was dark, he realized; Ichijou didn't pull the curtains open. He tried to recall his dream, remembering three signs, but not the details, white shirt, a library, a whisper of questions, asking him, 'are you thirsty'. He could not remember anything else. He sat up, reaching for some clothes and putting them on. He got off the bed, forgetting more and more of his dream until he could only remember the question 'are you thirsty?'

It felt like a good dream.


	3. Chapter 3

Rima was seated on one of the armchairs, reading a book. Ruka sneaked glances at her occasionally, trying not to appear obvious. Rima didn't seem to mind her presence; she barely acknowledged it. The silence wasn't unnerving, but somehow Ruka had the feeling that she herself should go and leave Rima alone in this part of the Moon Dormitory.

It wasn't as if she had no idea of Shiki and Rima's 'intimate relationship', being a way to put it. Feeding sessions were however meant to be private no matter who you are, and were not meant to be witnessed by an outside party. The fact that bloodlust is the first stage to real lust is not a myth, although neither Shiki or Rima seemed to suffer from it. The more likely case was that the blood of a close friend comforted them. Ruka knew that Shiki and Rima were mutual sufferers of asexuality, no matter how suggestive their poses in some magazines are.

Sensing another person with them, out of the corner of her eye Ruka saw Shiki standing upstairs. He was leant against the panelling, eyes silently observing Rima's figure. Ruka really thought she should leave now; it felt like she was intruding on a private moment again.

Without disturbing Rima, Ruka stood and left the room quietly. Rima looked up from her book, and sighed.

"How long do you plan to stay up there?" She said, looking up to him.

Shiki's eyes were boring into hers. They showed nothing to other people, but Rima could read him well since she herself was the same.

He said nothing, gracefully making his way down the stairs towards Rima. He sat himself down next to her and the harmony between them seemed to reform instantly. It felt natural to be there, in range of her touch and instruction. Yesterday's events were already forgotten by his body.

"Sorry about yesterday...I was careless."

Rima sighed. "I know, I know."

"Did I hurt you?" He asked quietly

"No." She answered with equal volume.

Rather than words, their messages were conveyed through their presences alone. Shiki slowly laid his head on her lap, with her hand automatically reaching to stroke his hair both understood that what happened had already passed, and they were both forgiven. It was peace. Nothing would change this normalcy and security. All was fine.

"What are you reading?" Shiki asked.

"Romeo and Juliet."

"What's happening?" He closed his eyes.

"They're on the balcony. Romeo is listening to Juliet talk to herself."

"Hmm." He hummed.

A while of comfortable silence took place, where the only sounds in the room was their even breathing and the sound of turning a page from Rima's book.

"Did you sleep well?" Rima asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah." Shiki replied, his eyes still closed while Rima's slender hand rested on his cheek. "Did you?"

"Mm." She murmured. "Of course."

Shiki chuckled; they were always the same. He remembered a young Rima with shorter pigtails and a wide grin. They had always been together. They did everything together. He remembered playing with her in the bath, splashing water on to each other while laughing loudly. His mother would also be laughing, her clothes drenched despite having rolled her sleeves up, her hair magically still tidy in the neat bun she had put it in.

There was once, when Shiki and Rima were running in the rain at night and both ended up with a cold and a scolding afterwards. Rima had read a picture book about the prince and the princess outside looking at the stars at midnight, although that night the stars were blocked by grey clouds and they were both home before midnight for they had gotten tired and sleepy.

They were the same now, but different.

"Rima." Shiki sighed, nuzzling her hand like an overgrown cat. Rima's touch was nice, like every other aspect of her. It was calming, as if a simple contact of her fingers could bring him to relaxing dreamland.

Rima paused. She then lowered her body to plant a gentle kiss on Shiki's forehead. She watched his long eyelashes flutter as he opened his eyes ever so slightly to gaze at her. A small smile formed on her lips while he continued to look at every feature of her face, almost in wonder, as if he was a newborn child.

Shiki always thought Rima was pretty. Her large blue eyes were ponds of dark night water. Her nose was straight and elegant, the bridge high. She had flawless skin so clear and pale, rivalling his own. Her lips were small but full, soft and light, pink and delicious-

Shiki's eyes opened completely as he saw his mark on her neck, unconcealed by her ruffled shirt. It had a low collar, revealing her long slender neck and her sharp collarbone. His bite mark was not yet healed despite her being a vampire; despite she could have healed it herself. He recalled her own vicious preying on him, her sucking of his blood uncoordinated and dizzying. Shiki was suddenly painfully reminded of the mark she had left herself, as if it wasn't invisible on his revealed neck.

"Your eyes are turning dark," Rima murmured, "what are you thinking about?"

"I don't know." Shiki answered. "What are you thinking about?"

The corner of her lips twitched. "You."

"Then I must be thinking about you too."

They both said nothing after that. Shiki's eyes were closed once more and Rima continued reading her book, her hand going through Shiki's soft tresses like the wind blowing through a field of grass.

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><p><strong>Yo, wassup! :D<strong>


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